Harry Peter Gribbon (June 9, 1885 – July 28, 1961) was an American film actor, comedian and director known for The Cameraman (1928), Show People (1928) and Art Trouble (1934). He appeared in more than 140 films between 1915 and 1938. Many of his films from this era have been lost.

Early life

Harry Peter Gribbon was born on June 9, 1885, in New York City. He was the brother of actor Eddie Gribbon.

Career

Gribbon started in vaudeville, performing on the Keith, Orpheum, and Pantages circuits, and in 1913 he became the leading man in the Ziegfeld Follies. He performed on stage in approximately 200 productions, including Buster Brown, The Man Who Owned Broadway, and The Red Widow, after which Mack Sennett signed him to make films. Gribbon's Broadway credits included Meet a Body (1944), Mr. Big (1941), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Delicate Story (1940), and Alley Cat (1934). Gribbon worked for the L-KO Kompany. From 1915, Gribbon worked in silent cinema, first at Lubin under the sobriquet 'Rubber-faced Harry', which became 'Silk Hat Harry', when he joined Keystone later that year as top-hatted, amply moustachioed comic villain. During the sound era, acted in several RKO/Pathe short comediesar.

Personal life and death

Gribbon was married to actress May Emory. He died on July 28, 1961, in Los Angeles, California at the Motion Picture Country Home. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California next to his wife.

Selected filmography